Clutch operating system

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are a clutch operating system and a driving method of a clutch operating system. The system may include a clutch master cylinder connected to a clutch pedal and generating hydraulic pressure by operation of the clutch pedal, a piston provided in the clutch master cylinder and reciprocally moving according to the operation of the clutch pedal, and an integrated sensor detecting a stroke of the piston, selectively supplying power to a starting motor according to the stroke of the piston, and providing the stroke of the piston to an ECU (electronic control unit) to control a transmission and an EPB (electronic parking brake).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent ApplicationNumber 10-2013-0141441 filed on Nov. 20, 2013, the entire contents ofwhich application are incorporated herein for all purposes by thisreference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a clutch operating system. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a clutch operating systemin which a clutch switch, an ignition lock switch, and an EPB switch areintegrated, such that cost can be reduced and assemblability can beimproved.

2. Description of Related Art

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a clutch operating systemaccording to prior art. Generally, as shown in FIG. 1, a clutch of avehicle having a manual transmission includes an ignition lock switch 30that is turned on or off according to operation of a clutch pedal 20,clutch switch 40, and a stroke sensor 10 for an electronic parking brake(EPB).

The ignition lock switch 30 protects starting when a driver does notstep on the clutch pedal 20, the clutch switch 40 controls atransmission according to operation of the clutch pedal 20, and thestroke sensor 10 controls the EPB according to operation of the clutchpedal 20.

As described above, according to the prior art, the ignition lock switch30, the clutch switch 40, and the stroke sensor 10 must be provided inthe clutch pedal 20, such that cost is increased according to anincreased number of parts and assembly time is increased.

Also, since the ignition lock switch 30 and the clutch switch 40 aremechanical switches, noise is generated when the ignition lock switch 30and the clutch switch 40 operate.

The information disclosed in this Background section is only forenhancement of understanding of the general background of the inventionand should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestionthat this information forms the prior art already known to a personskilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a clutchoperating system that can reduce cost by decreasing a number of partsand can reduce assembly time. Further, the present invention minimizesoperation noise generated at an ignition lock switch and a clutchswitch.

Various aspects of the present invention provides a clutch operatingsystem that may include: a clutch master cylinder connected to a clutchpedal and generating hydraulic pressure by operation of the clutchpedal; a piston provided in the clutch master cylinder and reciprocallymoving according to the operation of the clutch pedal; and an integratedsensor detecting a stroke of the piston, selectively supplying power toa starting motor according to the stroke of the piston, and providingthe stroke of the piston to an ECU (electronic control unit) to controla transmission and an EPB (electronic parking brake).

The integrated sensor may include an ignition lock switch selectivelysupplying the power to the starting motor, and a stroke sensor detectingthe stroke of the piston by detecting a magnetic force generated at amagnet provided in the piston.

Power may be supplied through a first power terminal provided in theintegrated sensor, and power output to the ECU through a clutch terminalmay be protected when the stroke of the piston detected by theintegrated sensor reaches a first predetermined value. The firstpredetermined value may be about 50% of a full stroke of the piston.

The ignition lock switch may receive power through a second powerterminal provided in the integrated sensor, and supply power to thestarting motor through a starting terminal when the stroke of the pistondetected by the integrated sensor reaches the first predetermined value.The second predetermined value may be about 85% of a full stroke of thepiston.

Power supplied to the first power terminal and power supplied to thesecond power terminal may be separated from each other.

Various other aspects of the present invention provides a driving methodof a clutch operating system that may include: measuring a stroke of apiston provided in a clutch master cylinder according to operation of aclutch pedal; supplying the stroke of the piston to an ECU through anEPB terminal; protecting power outputted from a clutch terminal when thestroke of the piston reaches a first predetermined value; and supplyingpower to a starting motor when the stroke of the piston reaches a secondpredetermined value.

The first predetermined value may be about 50% of a full stroke of thepiston. The second predetermined value may be about 85% of a full strokeof the piston.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other featuresand advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in moredetail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, andthe following Detailed Description, which together serve to explaincertain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings are provided for reference in describing exemplaryembodiments of the present invention, and the spirit of the presentinvention should not be construed only by the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a clutch operating systemaccording to prior art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary clutch operatingsystem according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary clutch mastercylinder according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram illustrating an exemplary integrated sensoraccording to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is graph illustrating an output signal of a clutch terminal andan EPB terminal according to a stroke of a piston and on/off status ofan ignition lock switch.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary driving method of aclutch operating system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of thepresent invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) willbe described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will beunderstood that present description is not intended to limit theinvention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, theinvention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplaryembodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalentsand other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the appended claims.

In describing the present invention, parts that are not related to thedescription will be omitted. Like reference numerals generally designatelike elements throughout the specification. In addition, the size andthickness of each configuration shown in the drawings are arbitrarilyshown for better understanding and ease of description, but the presentinvention is not limited thereto. In the drawings, the thickness oflayers, films, panels, regions, etc., are exaggerated for clarity.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a clutch operating system 100according to various embodiments of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 2, a clutch pedal 120 operable by a driver in order to operate aclutch, a clutch master cylinder (typically called a CMC) 110 thatgenerates hydraulic pressure by the operation of the clutch pedal 120, aclutch release cylinder (typically called a CRC) that operates theclutch of the manual transmission by the hydraulic pressure of theclutch master cylinder, and an integrated sensor 200 provided in theclutch master cylinder 110 are included in the clutch operating system100.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a clutch master cylinder110 according to various embodiments of the present invention. As shownin FIG. 3, the master cylinder includes a hollow shaped cylinder and apiston 113 disposed in the cylinder. Hydraulic pressure for driving theclutch is generated by reciprocal motion of the piston 113 in thecylinder.

The integrated sensor 200 detects a stroke of the piston 113 provided inthe clutch master cylinder 110, and the integrated sensor 200 isprovided in the clutch master cylinder 110. For detecting the stroke ofthe piston, a magnet 115 is provided in the piston 113 and a strokesensor 210 (see FIG. 4) is provided in the integrated sensor 200. Thestroke sensor 210 detects the stroke of the piston by detecting a changeof magnetic force generated at the magnet 115.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram illustrating an integrated sensor accordingto various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 5 is graphillustrating an output signal of a clutch terminal and an EPB terminalaccording to a stroke of a piston and on/off status of an ignition lockswitch.

In FIG. 5, a dotted line represents an amount of the stroke of thepiston 113 output from an EPB terminal 205, a solid line represents asignal output from a clutch terminal 204, and a one-point chain line ison/off status of an ignition lock switch 220.

As shown in FIG. 4, the integrated sensor 200 includes the stroke sensor210 detecting the stroke of the piston 113 provided in the clutch mastercylinder 110, and the ignition lock switch 220 selectively supplyingpower to a starting motor 430 according to the stroke of the piston 113detected by the stroke sensor 210.

A plurality of terminals such as six terminals for input and output ofvarious signals are provided in the integrated sensor 200. The sixterminals comprise a first power terminal 201 and a second powerterminal 202 for supplying power, a starting terminal 203 connected tothe ignition lock switch 220, the clutch terminal 204 for operation ofthe clutch, the EPB terminal 205 for operation of the EPB, and a groundterminal 206.

Power is supplied to the clutch terminal 204 and the EPB terminal 205through the first power terminal 201, and power is supplied to thestarting motor 430 through the second power terminal 202.

The integrated sensor 200 provides appropriate output to the startingmotor 430 and an electronic control unit (ECU) 300 according to thestroke of the piston 113 detected by the stroke sensor 210.

Specifically, the amount of the stroke of the piston 113 is supplied tothe ECU 300 through the EPB terminal 205. At this time, the amount ofthe stroke of the piston 113 may be converted to a voltage or currentand supplied to the ECU 300.

The ECU 300 controls the EPB by using the amount of the stroke of thepiston 113. The ECU 300 controls the EPB by using the stroke of thepiston 113 and various other factors such as inclination of the vehicle.

The ECU 300 may be implemented with one or more microprocessors operatedby a predetermined program or hardware including the microprocessor, andthe predetermined program includes a series of commands for performing adriving method of a clutch operating system according to variousembodiments of the present invention to be described below.

Power supplied to the ECU 300 is protected by the clutch terminal 204when the stroke of the piston 113 reaches a first predetermined value.Here, the first predetermined value may be 50% of a full stroke of thepiston 113.

As shown in FIG. 5, an output signal of the clutch terminal 204maintains an on status when the stroke of the piston 113 is less than50% of the stroke of the piston 113. However, the output signal of theclutch terminal 204 is converted to an off status when the stroke of thepiston 113 is higher than 50% of full stroke of the piston 113.

In the prior art, the ECU 300 controls the transmission of the vehiclewhen the driver operates the clutch pedal 120 by using a mechanicalclutch switch and the mechanical clutch switch is turned off. However,according to the present invention, the conventional mechanical clutchswitch is substituted by the integrated sensor 200, thereby the numberof parts and assembly time are reduced.

The ignition lock switch 220 provided in the integrated sensor 200 isturned on when the stroke of the piston 113 reaches a secondpredetermined value. Here, the second predetermined value may be 85% ofa full stroke of the piston 113.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the stroke of the piston 113 reaches 85% of thefull stroke of the piston 113, the ignition lock switch 220 is turned onand power supplied from the second power terminal 202 is supplied to thestarting motor 430 through the starting terminal 203, and thereby thestarting motor 430 is operated.

That is, when the ignition lock switch 220 is turned on, power suppliedfrom the second power terminal is applied to a coil 410, and a powerswitch 410 is turned on. Therefore, power is supplied to the startingmotor 430 from a battery.

Power supplied to the starting motor 430 is supplied by a second powerterminal 202, and power supplied to the clutch terminal 204 and the EBPterminal is supplied through the first power terminal 201. At this time,since the first power terminal 201 and the second power terminal 202receive power from separate power supply lines, power can be suppliedthrough the clutch terminal 204 and the EPB terminal 205 after theengine starts.

Hereinafter, a driving method of the clutch operating system accordingto various embodiments of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a driving method of a clutchoperating system according to various embodiments of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 6, the stroke sensor 210 provided in theintegrated sensor 200 measures the stroke of the piston 113 in theclutch master cylinder 110 at step S10.

The ignition lock switch 220 maintains an off status if the stroke ofthe piston 113 is less than 50% or about 50% of a full stroke of thepiston 113, and the stroke of the piston 113 is supplied to the ECU 300through the clutch terminal 204 and the EPB terminal 205.

If the stroke of the piston 113 is more than 50% or about 50% of a fullstroke of the piston 113 and less than 85% or about 85% of a full strokeof the piston 113 at step S40, the ignition lock switch 220 maintainsthe off status and power supplied to the ECU 300 through the clutchterminal 204 is protected, and the detected stroke of the piston 113 issupplied to the ECU 300 through the EPB terminal 205 at step S50.

If the stroke of the piston 113 is more than 85% or about 85% of a fullstroke of the piston 113 at step S60, the ignition lock switch 220 isconverted to the on status and power is supplied to the starting motor430 through the second power terminal 202. Therefore, power supplied tothe ECU 300 through the clutch terminal 204 is protected. The detectedstroke of the piston 113 is supplied to the ECU 300 through the EPBterminal 205 at step S70.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, an ignitionlock switch, a clutch switch, and a stroke sensor are electricallyintegrated into one integrated sensor, such that the number of parts andassembly time can be reduced and manufacturing cost can be reduced.Further, since an ignition lock switch and a clutch switch made of amechanical switch can be removed, operation noise generated at theignition lock switch and the clutch switch can be minimized.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in orderto explain certain principles of the invention and their practicalapplication, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make andutilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as wellas various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended thatthe scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto andtheir equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A clutch operating system comprising: a clutchmaster cylinder connected to a clutch pedal and generating hydraulicpressure by operation of the clutch pedal; a piston provided in theclutch master cylinder and reciprocally moving according to theoperation of the clutch pedal; and an integrated sensor detecting astroke of the piston, selectively supplying power to a starting motoraccording to the stroke of the piston, and providing the stroke of thepiston to an ECU (electronic control unit) to control a transmission andan EPB (electronic parking brake).
 2. The clutch operating system ofclaim 1, wherein the integrated sensor comprises: an ignition lockswitch selectively supplying the power to the starting motor; and astroke sensor detecting the stroke of the piston by detecting a magneticforce generated at a magnet provided in the piston.
 3. The clutchoperating system of claim 2, wherein power is supplied through a firstpower terminal provided in the integrated sensor, and power output tothe ECU through a clutch terminal is protected when the stroke of thepiston detected by the integrated sensor reaches a first predeterminedvalue.
 4. The clutch operating system of claim 3, wherein the firstpredetermined value is about 50% of a full stroke of the piston.
 5. Theclutch operating system of claim 2, wherein the ignition lock switchreceives power through a second power terminal provided in theintegrated sensor, and supplies the power to the starting motor througha starting terminal when the stroke of the piston detected by theintegrated sensor reaches a second predetermined value.
 6. The clutchoperating system of claim 5, wherein the second predetermined value isabout 85% of a full stroke of the piston.
 7. The clutch operating systemof claim 3, wherein: the ignition lock switch receives power through asecond power terminal provided in the integrated sensor, and suppliesthe power to the starting motor through a starting terminal when thestroke of the piston detected by the integrated sensor reaches a secondpredetermined value; and the power supplied to the first power terminaland the power supplied to the second power terminal are separated fromeach other.
 8. A driving method of a clutch operating system,comprising: measuring a stroke of a piston provided in a clutch mastercylinder according to operation of a clutch pedal; supplying the strokeof the piston to an ECU through an EPB terminal; protecting poweroutputted from a clutch terminal when the stroke of the piston reaches afirst predetermined value; and supplying power to a starting motor whenthe stroke of the piston reaches a second predetermined value.
 9. Thedriving method of the clutch operating system of claim 8, wherein thefirst predetermined value is about 50% of a full stroke of the piston.10. The driving method of the clutch operating system of claim 8,wherein the second predetermined value is about 85% of a full stroke ofthe piston.